Novelist Cristina García’s 'Vanishing Maps' Revisits the Cuban Diaspora in Sequel to 'Dreaming in Cuban'

Cristina García’s new novel, “Vanishing Maps,” is a sequel to her widely acclaimed debut, “Dreaming in Cuban,” published 30 years ago. The novels follow the del Pinos, a Cuban family disconnected by political allegiances, borders, and immigration. In “Vanishing Maps” the family has scattered beyond Cuba and New York to distant corners of Berlin, Los Angeles, and Moscow. The younger generations are far removed from Cuba, but the island remains a central force in their longings for home and family. García, who was recently a visiting professor at University of San Francisco and resident playwright at Central Works Theater in Berkeley, joins us to talk about how her characters forge bonds and confront borders –- both real and imagined.